Perfection
by Purple Snowe
Summary: Shadow's life is far from perfect. Social rejection, an abusive father, a crush on a straight man, and suicidal tendencies are all part of his daily routine. He's convinced he'll never be happy again. WARNING: Abuse, homosexuality, and extreme depression.
1. Fairy Tales

**Alright, I really know I shouldn't have. I _really_ shouldn't have. I _REALLY_ shouldn't-**

**Shadow: Then why did you?**

**Shut up. You don't even know what I'm talking about.**

**Shadow: No. I just wanted to annoy you.**

**You're evil.**

**Shadow: I know.**

**Anyways, as I was saying, I know I really shouldn't have started another fanfiction, but in my pursue of ideas, I was reading others' fanfictions and was inspired to do this. I have three in progress (for those of you who haven't looked at my profile, I've reopened purpledemon 21, you lucky perverts) and don't need a fourth, but I thought that, if I waited, the inspiration for this would be lost. *frown* And now, although it's summer, I'm about to be swamped with work. Whoopee.**

**Silver: Shut up, you know you love your fans too much to complain.**

**Yeah, but I'm upset that I've got four stories in progress and one of them I've no idea how to continue (also on my profile.).**

**Silver: _Stop _complaining.**

**And what if I don't?**

**Shadow: I'll leave.**

***pouts* But Shadowwww...!**

**Shadow: *walking away* Bye.**

**No! *clings to Shadow's leg* I'll be nice!**

**Silver: *laughs***

**Shut up, weed-hog.**

**Shadow: _Bye_.**

**No! Sorry!**

**Silver: You'd better be... I happen to be very self-conscious about the marijuana leaf on my forehead.**

**Shadow: Yeah, that was a stupid design on your creators' part.**

**Speaking of which, before we begin, I must say this: None of the characters in this fanfiction, unless specified, are under my ownership. They belong to the SEGA and the Sonic Team Corporations... no matter how desperately I want Shadow to be ALL MINE! DAMN YOU, SONIC TEAM!**

**Silver: Alright, I suggest you begin the story before you lose your sanity.**

**Oh, that's _long _gone, my metallic-coloured friend. But, anyways, I agree, and will therefore begin this story. Please enjoy.**

Perfection? It's just some word they created to make me feel inadequate.

Perfection? It's never been real, never been achievable.

Perfection? It's a goal that can never be attained, by me especially.

_Im_perfection, however? Too easily achieved, too difficult to escape, too horribly truthful...

I sigh. I understand all of that only too well.

"Um... Shadow?" a voice says, interrupting my terrible depression.

I look up into the comforting eyes of the one who has saved me from myself. I manage a smile as I say, "I'm alright. Sorry."

I can tell, from the look on his face, that he knows I'm lying. He doesn't press on the situation, though, and I'm grateful. I could never confess to this man my tale of terrible woe. He deserves not to worry about me, as I know he would if I told him.

"So, Shadow, anything interesting to share?" my friend, Amy Rose, asks me. She's always one for gossip.

"Not today, Amy," I say with a smile.

She groans. "You _never_ have anything juicy for me...!"

I laugh and shrug. "Sorry, Ames." _Damn, I'm good at masking my depression._

"What about you, Silver?" she asks.

"Same. Nothing huge," he says, and it takes everything I have not to melt at the beautiful music that is his voice.

"Grr! You people give me _nothing_! Sonic! Dish!" Amy commands.

"Well, actually, I don't-"

"_Damn it, Sonic!_ You _always _have something!"

"I've been lazy recently!"

"Oh, like _that's _anything new!" I joke, which receives a glare from my blue friend. I giggle.

"Hey, these legs didn't just randomly get so sexy," Sonic shoots at me.

"Yeah, but as soon as you're done running, you gorge yourself with beef franks covered in fattening beans and spiced meat while you sit on a couch and watch some idiots try to kill themselves."

"Hey, they're called chili dogs, and Jackass is hilarious!"

I laugh. "Of course it is."

"Alright, alright, break it up, you two," Rouge says, giggling. "Eat."

"But I'm full," Sonic complains, and all of us laugh.

"Well, then, give me some of your food," I say, taking what's left of his corn chips and stuffing a few in my mouth.

"Y'know, I still have no idea how you're so thin, when you eat like a pig," Rouge pointed out, receiving a few nods of agreement from my other friends.

I have to use a lot of energy to keep from bursting into tears at that statement; it really hit home. I've barely eaten outside of school for the past three years. I manage a sly smile, though, and reply, "I have my ways."

"You'll have to share sometime," Amy says, waving her fork warningly at me before she stabs a piece of lettuce and puts it in her mouth.

"Not today," I say, popping more of Sonic's corn chips into my mouth. _Not ever_, I add in my head.

"So, Tails," Silver says, "How've you been doing in Geometry?"

"Well," the thirteen-year-old fox says with a smile.

"Think I could get a bit of help with the homework tonight?"

Everyone laughs. "It's actually a bit challenging to me."

"Says the kid who's way too smart for his own good!" I say. Miles, or as my friends tended to call him, Tails, should be in eighth grade right now, but instead, he's a sophomore along with all of us, and could easily afford skipping another grade.

"Oh, hush," Miles says, blushing just a little. "I'm not _that_ smart."

"Tch! Yeah, right!" Rouge says.

"You're a _genius_!" Sonic says.

"Shut up," Miles snaps, his blush deepening, "I am _not_."

"Whatever you say," Silver says. "Am I getting help or not, though?"

"I suppose, as long as I get something," Miles says, winking.

"You are not the innocent little kid you pretend to be around the teachers," Silver groaned.

We all laugh again. "Alright, if everyone's done, I'm feeling polite, so I'll take all the trays," I say to my group of friends and am immediately loaded with every tray on the table. After being given five "thank you"s, I carry the six trays over to the window and hand them in.

"Hey, Blackie," an all-too-familiar voice calls, and I freeze in anger. _Fuck. This is the _last_ thing I need right now._

"Blackie, I'm _talkin'_ to you," the voice repeated, more forcefully this time.

"Yes?" I say, pouring venom into my voice as I turn to face that stupid green hawk and his group of friends.

"Yikes, someone's pissed," Jet says sarcastically, making his friends laugh stupidly. "Why don't you sit down?" He moves over a bit to make room on the semi-circular bench at the table.

"Why don't I leave?" I retort, more venom in my voice.

"Because I'll hurt you if you do."

I sigh, irritated. I know he's not joking, and I'm in no physical condition to fight back. I reluctantly sit down next to him, staying as far away from the hawk as the bench will allow.

"So, Blackie-"

"My name is Shadow," I snap at him.

"Whatever. You know my friend Tikal, right?"

"That echidna girl? Yes."

"Good. She has a crush on you."

"I'm sure she does," I say irritably and sarcastically.

"I'm serious. She wants to go on a date."

"Too bad. I don't want to."

"Well, if you don't, I'm sure her brother, Knuckles, will have your ass."

"I don't care. I don't like her that way."

"Go on the date," Jet says forcefully.

"_No_."

"Do it!"

"Look, he said he doesn't want to, so leave him alone for it, alright?" another familiar voice says, and I immediately feel both grateful and fearful at the same time, for this is the voice of my twin brother, Mephiles.

"You stay out of this, Mephy," Jet snaps. "This isn't your business."

"What concerns my younger brother _is_ my business, Jet."

"Mephiles...," I whisper, a worried look on my face. Jet's terribly testy.

"Shut up, Blackie," Jet yells in my direction, then says to my brother, "I told _you_ to stay out of this!"

"Well, I'm ignoring that command, Jet."

"You'll do as I say, you idiot!"

"When did I take an oath, hawk?"

At this point, a feathered fist is thrown at Mephiles's face. My brother spits out a bit of blood, then replies with his own fist much more powerfully. My eyes widen as Jet glares threateningly at Mephiles. Then, without warning, the hawk lunges at my brother, and I wince as I hear the _thud_ that results from Mephiles hitting the floor.

Jet showers my brother with vicious punches to the jaw. Mephiles quickly begins coughing out blood and even a filling after a moment, completely defenseless.

"Mephs!" I yell, running over to the two-man violent dogpile. In a fit of unusual anger-and-worry-fueled-strength, I throw Jet off of my brother and then begin to punch the hawk just as he had been doing to my brother. "_No one attacks my brother!_" I yell in immense anger.

"You little _idiot_!" Jet yells as he throws me off and hits me in the stomach with his heel. I try to catch my breath, but am then kicked forcefully in the ribs. I yelp and clutch my side as I'm punched in the side of the face, and I know that I'll be getting a black eye. "You'll stay out of a fight with the bigger kids if you know what's good for you."

Jet gets hit in the back of the head then, and I smile a bit as I see Mephiles standing there with his fist raised for another hit.

"What do you three think you're doing?" a female adult's voice asks sternly. My heart sinks and my smile disappears as I see Blaze, our Geography teacher, standing there with hands on hips and a "you're in extreme trouble" look on her face.

"Uh..." I mutter.

"Come with me, boys," she says, walking to the cafeteria door. We all follow, not daring to speak.

_Great_, I think, _I get to face my father with this after school..._

(*!/0\!*)

"You did _what_?"

"I-I got into a fight at school...!" I say, terrified.

"Why would you _do _such a thing?"

"I-I'm sorry, F-Father!"

"This isn't like you, Shadow!"

"Forgive me, Father! Forgive my incompetent behavior, please!"

Father sighs angrily and clamps a hand over his muzzle, trying to calm himself. "You'll have no dinner tonight. Fetch your brother for me."

"Yes, Father! Of course!" I hurriedly leave the room and head to the room that I share with my brother. I sit down on my bed, still convulsing in terror. That look in his eyes... It could have brought a feral grizzly bear down. I am terribly fortunate I was not stricken.

"Father... would like to speak with you," I manage through the shaking.

He nods, and I can tell how worried he is, although he's trying to hide his fear for my sake. He begins to leave.

"Wait," I interrupt his retreat.

"Yes?" he asks.

"Thank you," I whisper. "Thank you for standing up for me today."

He smiles. "Of cou-"

"_Mephiles!_"

"Good luck," I whisper as he dashes to the living room.

I pull out my MP3 player and try to distract my mind with the screams of my favorite band. It works for a moment, but then I look at the music player and start thinking again. This MP3 player is one of the only luxuries I have left from happier times in my life. From three years ago, when I still had a mother, when Father wasn't so excitable and abusive, when Father wasn't even "Father"... He was "Daddy", a completely different person, always so happy, never angry with us... He especially never beat us...

By this point, my face is wet enough to look like I just got out of a pool. I'm shaking even more than I was before. My music sounds garbled and I can't understand a word being screamed into my ear. "Fuck my life," I whisper.

_Why do I still live?_ The question that's bothered me terribly for three years. I've never given it a good answer. My voice of reason has only ever fought with it and wrestled it down temporarily.

The question won't go away, so to feed it and my voice of reason, I pull out the dagger I've hidden underneath my pillows. I turn it around in my hands for a moment, then hold it to my chest.

_Do it, just shove the thing into your heart,_ My depression screams. _Die. Kill yourself. No one will care, and you know it._

_No!_ My voice of reason argues. _That isn't true, Shadow! You have friends!_

_Only five of them. They're not going to miss you much._

_You know that one is a load of bull shit! And besides, what about your brother?_

_If he had any sense, he'd follow you, Shadow. If he doesn't, it'll be his own fault that he's miserable._

_But he wouldn't have a single companion, and you know you could never allow that to happen._

_... But-_

_And what about Silver? Hm? If you kill yourself, you'll never even have the chance of getting him for yourself. Do you want that, Shadow? Do you want to die without even knowing how he feels about you?_

"... Voice of Reason wins another round," I tell my depression as I put the knife away. My face is still wet, though, and my eyes are still producing tears. I'm not shaking quite as much anymore, but I'm still sobbing.

The door opens and closes, and I look up to see a stunned Mephiles staring at my tear-stained face. I take the headphones off of my head and look at him, trying to control my sobs.

"Were you... crying again?" he asks, coming over to sit next to me.

"Only a little bit," I say, trying to be indifferent. My effort at nonchalance, however, is ruined by a violent sob and a new wave of tears.

Mephiles pulls me into a tight and comforting hug. "Shads, everything will be okay. It'll all be fine."

"How?" I ask. By this point, the right side of his shirt is completely soaked with my tears. "How can you be so optimistic when you lead such a life of woe?"

Mephiles lets go of me, but holds me in front of him and looks straight into my watered eyes. "Do you remember back when we were little children? Like, seven years old? And Momma would read us those fairy tales?"

I convulse dreadfully and cry more forcibly as I hear him speak of our mother, but I still manage to nod.

"You remember how the beginnings were always so terrible, how the main character was having a horrible life?"

I nod, still shuddering uncontrollably.

"But then, in the end of the book, they would always be saved from their troubles, be carried away by some wonderful person and they would live 'happily ever after', as they always said."

I manage a smile at that.

"I like to think of our situation as the beginning of a fairy tale. Before too long, we'll have _our_ 'happily ever after'. It might take just a little bit more suffering, a bit more woe, a bit more torture, but it will come to us, and the torture, the suffering, the sadness, it will _all _be worth it."

I give him a tight hug as I smile at his point of view. In this moment, through my sadness, through the darkness in my soul, shines a light. A very small, yet very bright, ray of beautiful light that makes me feel whole again. A small ray of shining hope, hope that this suffering _will_ be worth it, that maybe Silver _will _be mine at some point, that maybe my life could be worse...

As I choke back my last sob, as I wipe the last of my tears away, I know that I will survive this torture. No matter how difficult it will become, I will survive the pain. And it will be over as soon as I can make it so.

After the last of my emotional breakdown and Mephiles's brotherly comforting, we stare at the wall for a moment in silent contemplation. After a moment, though, Mephiles interrupts my wandering thoughts.

"Shads," he says, "guess what I just remembered."

"What's that, Mephs?" I ask.

He smiles at me and replies simply, "Crackers."

"What?" I ask, a little annoyed by that smug expression on his face.

He stands up and reaches under his bed, then pulls up a rectangular plastic bag. "Crackers," he repeats.

My eyes widen and my mouth waters at the bag of grains and salt. Chuckling, he hands me a small stack of them, and I immediately stuff one of them into my mouth. Even this extremely small morsel, no matter how unfulfilling, has to be savored, for it will likely be the only food I eat tonight.

But, just as I've chewed my fourth cracker, the most terrible event imaginable happens.

Father walks into the room and sees my brother and I with cracker crumbs all over our muzzles.

I swallow thickly as I meet his gaze. _Suicide may no longer be necessary to relieve me of my woes._

**Don't you all just hate me now? *smiles evilly***

**Shadow: You're honestly going to kill me off? That's a new low.**

**Shads, Shads, don't worry. I'm not that evil. You'll survive, I'm sure.**

**Shadow: I'd better.**

**Silver: I'll kill you if he doesn't.**

**Okay, okay, relax, people! Really! Anyways, I am dead tired and must go to bed soon. I really hope that you've enjoyed. Until next time, remember: FAIRY TALES CAN TEACH YOU VALUABLE THINGS.**

**REVIEW**


	2. Given the Chance

**Welcome back, my friends. I'm sure that you'll be glad to know that Shadow is alive. I know _I'm _glad.**

**Shadow: Of course _you're_ happy, you rabid fangirl...**

***giggles* Guilty! Except I'm male.**

**Silver: Are... Are you sure...?**

**Shut up. I have a dick.**

**Shadow: Alright, I think you're breaking your own rules for this account.**

**You're right. Thank you, Shadow. You're all helpful and stuff.**

**Shadow: Um... Okay.**

**Silver: Start the chapter before you creep your audience out with your obsession of Shads.**

**Fine... Read this, my friends.**

I awake, sore beyond belief across my entire body. My pillow is soaked to the core with the tears I know I shed in my sleep. I sigh. _Another day of hiding my suffering._

I force myself to get out of bed and examine my arms. Bruises cover every inch of them. There's even a bit of dried blood left in my fur. _Great. I'll have to give myself heatstroke to cover this._

I groan as I stand, pain shooting through every vein in my body. I begin to dress myself in jeans, a red t-shirt, my black jacket, and a pair of white gloves. I can already feel myself catching fire as I pull socks and shoes over my feet.

I look to Mephs, and I see that he's still asleep. Knowing that he'll have the same injuries as me, I refrain from physical contact as much as possible while I wake him up.

He finally awakes and begins preparing himself for the day. I go to the restroom to try and tame my quills, then whiten my dull fangs. I cover my blemishes with makeup, another of the few luxuries I've been allowed, and accent my eyes with eyeliner. I look over myself in the mirror and am pleased that there's not an injury in sight. I'm happy my makeup is waterproof; I'll definitely be sweating today.

I leave the bathroom and head to the living room to wait for Mephiles. I can only hope that Father's job wanted him there early today. I couldn't handle another encounter this morning...

"Shadow," Father says.

_Fuck._ "Yes, Father?" I ask, not daring to look into his eyes.

He tosses two envelopes into my lap. "Lunch money for you and your brother. Make sure Mephiles gets his."

"I shall. Thank you, Father."

He grunts in acknowledgement. I listen to his footsteps disappear just as Mephiles's come nearer. I stand and immediately drag him out of the house.

Once we're a block away, I finally allow him to walk on his own and I slow my pace. He doesn't question my actions. This isn't uncommon for me. My fear of Father runs terribly deep.

I hand him the envelope after a moment of walking, and he puts it in his pocket.

The silence is eating me alive, so I have to do something to break it. "Mephs?" I say, having no idea where I'm going with the conversation.

"Yes, Shads?" he asks.

"Uh... Thanks again for yesterday," I say.

"Absolutely," Mephiles says.

"And... I'm sorry for getting us caught with the crackers..."

"Shadow, that wasn't your fault. If anyone's, it was mine for getting them out."

"No, you were just being kind. I would've done that, too."

"You know what? It was _Father's_ fault for being an ass, okay?"

I panic. "Mephs!"

"Keep your pants on, Shads, really. He can't hear us."

"How do you know that? What if he's _following_-!"

"Shadow, you're paranoid. You don't _honestly_ think he's hiding in the bushes, do you?"

Suddenly, my desire for conversation is gone. It's true; I've terrible paranoia. And, yes, I feel as though he's somewhere nearby. But I'm not about to tell him that. "No..."

"We've got to work on your paranoia. _Soon_."

"Shut up...!" I say, blushing a little bit. Not that he could notice, though, with my coverup.

"Alright, alright. We're here anyways."

And we join the crowd of teenagers walking through the halls of Mobius High.

(*!/0\!*)

The day was dreadful.

I missed eight of ten questions on last night's Geometry assignment. I've never done that.

Then I was beaten senseless in dodgeball during Physical Education.

Then I was laughed at during my oral report on Britain in History.

Then I was threatened by Jet again during lunch.

But, it will all be worth it. Because I'm about to go tell Silver how I feel and ask him for a date. And I will _not_ take no for an answer.

I put on my most convincing smile and begin my walk over to him. I have a good feeling about this.

I'm five feet away when my good feeling is shattered. Because Rouge walks over to him and kisses him. He even kisses back. But that's not what shatters my heart.

It's the fact that I've confided in Rouge my feelings for Silver.

I run. I don't care where I'm going right now. All I want to do is get away from the pain, leave it with someone else and never have to experience it again. But it keeps following, won't leave me alone, won't even fade. I try to force the pain out through tears, but it's not working so well. It's almost as though that's making it worse.

After what feels like an eternity, I collapse on the ground and completely break down in tears. I can't hear or see a thing. All I feel is pain, immense pain, crushing my lungs and squeezing my throat. All I want right now is for the pain to end...

I wipe my eyes and regain vision for only a moment to see a lake to my left. _The pain must end..._

I force myself to stand up and I stagger over to it. There's no one around to stop me. I jump into the lake, not bothering to take a breath. I force myself to stay under the water. I'm not going to just breathe in water, no; that's too easy. I'll force myself to wait. Yes, I know the pain has to end, but I want my death to be dignified. I deserve at least that.

After a small wait, I smirk devilishly just before I black out. _Finally. An end to this shit._

(*!/0\!*)

"Shadow? _Shadow? _Goddamn it, _don't die_!"

My eyes flutter open and I'm rewarded with the most beautiful face in the world. I can't suppress a smile as he sighs with extreme relief and hugs me. "Silver...," I mutter as I return his hug.

"Shadow, I thought you were a _goner_!" Then, he holds me a few inches from him and looks at me with extreme anger. "What were you _thinking_? Why would you _drown _yourself?"

I can't bring myself to answer that question right away. At least not verbally. So I use all my strength to pull him into a kiss.

It doesn't last long, but it's the greatest moment I've had in my life. He looks at me with comically wide eyes and a deep red blush."Wh-... What...?" he stutters.

"I love you, Silver," I confess. "And I saw you kissing Rouge. She knows. It killed me..."

"But... Shadow... you _know_ I'm straight..."

"I do. That never stopped me. Nothing ever did."

"I... I can't return your love, Shadow..."

"Have you ever explored? Really?"

That one seems to throw him for a loop. "Well... I-"

"Give it a chance. Please. If you don't feel anything, I'll leave you alone."

He thinks. "Well..."

"Please?"

"... Okay. But not here. Meet me behind the school at midnight, okay?"

I smile as widely as I can without splitting my face in half. I hug him in a sudden burst of energy. "Thank you so much, Silver! Thank you, thank you, _thank_ you!"

Silver laughs. "Alright, alright! Calm yourself!"

I let go reluctantly. "Okay..." Then a thought hits me. "What time is it, Silv?"

He looks at his wristwatch. "Almost four."

"Shit! I've got to go! See you later!" I scramble to my feet and run as quickly as possible back home. _Father will beat me mercilessly for this..._ I shudder at that thought. _But it will all worth it. I'm finally getting a chance with Silver..._

_My saviour._

**You're welcome. And I'm sorry. This was much shorter than I would've liked, and I think the beginning sucks.**

**Shadow: So why don't you-?**

**I can't think of anything better! *pouts* It's not fair...**

**Silver: Tch. You baby.**

**You want to be killed off next chapter?**

**Silver: You couldn't do that. I'm an extremely important plot element.**

**Well, then how about I replace you with... uh... Damn it, I've already used everyone I know!**

**Silver: Ha! I'm invincible!**

**You little bitch... *sigh* But, anyways, I hope you enjoyed what little I've given you. My next update should be sooner, because... well, technically, later today, I will be getting more frequent access to a computer. Some real romance next chapter, so please eagerly await the next installment, and don't forget to...**

**REVIEW**


	3. Eternity

**Welcome back. I can only hope this chapter will be longer.**

**Shadow: Shut up and begin.**

**You two are so mean to me... But I still love Shadow. *hugs his ankles***

**Shadow: ... You're insane.**

***cartoon hearts fly out of my head and pop like bubbles* Aww! You're pretty, too!**

**Shadow: ... Go choke and die.**

**I _will_ marry you! *dances around with extreme glee***

**Shadow: You're stupid.**

***gasps* I am _not _fat! I've been on a diet! *pouts***

**Silver: Alright, you need to start listening to what people have to say.**

**What? Why are you mentioning bananas?**

**Silver: *sighs* Cookie.**

**Alright, I'll listen to you...**

**Shadow: How did you know...?**

**Silver: I'm psychic.**

**Not in my story, you're not.**

**Silver: Well, I was eight seconds ago, so shut up.**

**My story, my rules. I will not shut up. I will keep talking throughout the entire time I'm writing this. Enjoy, fans, while I drive these hedgehogs insane.**

I fall back on my bed, my chest heaving and my back stinging. The lashing Father just gave me seemed worse than last night's, but that is probably because of my previous injuries. I can't help but yelp in pain when Mephiles sits on my bed and sends a shockwave my direction.

"Sorry," Mephiles apologizes.

" 'S'okay," I say with a dismissive wave.

"You're in an abnormally good mood for someone who just got lashed," Mephiles observes.

"Sorry about that," I say with a small laugh.

"Okay, really, what's gotten you so giddy?"

"You remember when I told you about Silver?" I ask, forcing myself into a sitting position.

"The straight guy you had a crush on?"

"_Have_," I correct him, "and yes. Well, I saw him kissing Rouge-"

"Why would _that_ make you happy?"

"Save questions until the end. It didn't make me happy. In fact, it made me so _un_happy that I tried to drown myself." Mephiles's eyes go wide with horror. "And Silver saved me." He breathes a sigh of extreme relief. "And he's given me a chance."

Mephiles smiles, still in shock at the knowledge that I tried to kill myself. "When will it happen?"

"Tonight. Midnight. Behind the school."

Mehiles's smile disappears. "How will you manage that?"

"Father will be asleep. If he wakes up you can tell him that I snuck out. I'll take all the blame."

He ponders this, then shakes his head. "What if I want to cover for you?"

"I couldn't let you do that. He might beat you and I'd never be able to live with myself-"

"You leave that to me." He smiles deviously and I can only imagine what he's thinking. "So will I cover for you?"

I ponder his offer. "Only if you promise that you won't let him beat you."

He makes a little 'X' over the center of his chest. "Cross my heart."

I sigh. "Fine. But if I get back and you've got _one_ new injury, you'll have another eight on the way."

Mephiles laughs. "Of course."

(*!/0\!*)

"Alright, Mephs, I'm gone," I whisper, heading to the window.

"Good luck," he whispers back.

"Don't get hurt."

"I won't."

I close the window behind me, then wag my index finger at him warningly. He stifles a laugh and I speed off, eager for the meeting that awaits me.

The wind never felt so great to me. It whips through my head quills and cools my blazing skin, giving me strength despite my hundred-and-one injuries. It smells like Silver did earlier today, even tastes like he did... I shudder with joy at the memory of his soft lips against mine. I'll get to feel it again in mere minutes, but that's far too long for me. I need him _now_, I need to feel him pressed against me and kissing me with no release, I need him to hold me close and never let me go... I need his touch.

I sink against the wall behind the school and wait with absolutely no patience for my love. It's torture to think about him right now, but my mind is relentless and won't focus on anything else. I sigh in agitation as my mind makes the most torturous images of Silver, sometimes forcing me to look at him pressed against my body with all his force and kissing me with enough passion to fulfill my needs for a lifetime...

_I hate you so much, mind,_ I think as an image of a bare-chested Silver flashes behind my eyelids.

I hate to do it, but I have to thank the church across the street for tolling its midnight bell. I hate churches. I hate everything that has to do with "God". He deserves to die for putting me in such a terrible world. He's no one to worship. He's someone to hate.

"Shadow?" A voice interrupts my hate speech. I look up to see that beautiful face, those beautiful lips, and I can hardly keep from throwing myself at him. I have to shove my hands into the pockets of my jacket to keep from flinging my arms around him.

"Hey, Silver."

"Alright, I guess we should start this...," he said, advancing. My heart races. "I have to admit, though, I'm a little nervous..."

"It's alright," I say, my voice trying to break.

"You lead. This is your territory anyway...," he adds, then halts a foot away from me, opening himself to me. I couldn't be more excited.

I know I have to start slowly, no matter how much I want to throw myself at him and give him all of my heart. I force myself to advance as slowly as I can handle and pull him into a very gentle kiss. He returns it hesitantly, but seems to enjoy it anyway. My heart races at his enjoyment and I can't help but intensify the kiss. He seems to enjoy this even more, matching my intensity and passion with ease, and I love every second of it. I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer. He returns the embrace and I almost faint in his arms. This is going almost _too_ well.

I give it my all as I kiss him with all the passion I can muster and I'm rewarded with a soft "Mm", a sign that he's definitely enjoying himself. I detatch my arms and begin to feel his body, his toned abdomen, his muscled chest, his perfect arms... We both shudder at the feeling of my gloved fingers running over his bare abs.

Losing myself, I make a terribly bold move: I rub my hand roughly over the crotch of his jeans.

He moans loudly, breaking the kiss and backing away. I sigh, trying to catch my breath. "Okay, we can't go quite _that_ far...," I say in between desperate grabs for air.

"I'm sorry...," he apologizes. He's panting even more than I am. It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen.

"It's alright... I lost control," I say. "But what did you think?"

Silver ponders, regaining control of his breathing after a moment. I eagerly await his answer, fists clenched in excitement.

After an eternity, he finally looks at me and smiles. "My boyfriend," he addresses me, and I've instantly found the best moment I'll ever have in my entire life.

I run to him and throw myself at him, knocking the both of us over as I wrap my arms around him as tightly as possible without breaking his bones. "Thank you, Silver, thank you so much!" I exclaim. I plant a very excited kiss on his cheek. He's laughing uncontrollably, and I can't help but laugh with him. Our shouts of glee suddenly sound like a beautiful melody, molding and fitting together perfectly, and for some reason that makes me laugh even more.

We laugh for an eternity. Once our laughter has subsided, we stare into each other's eyes. I could stay there for another eternity. But we both know the scene has to end.

"I hate to, but I have to go," I say, remembering that I've left Mephiles alone. "I will see you here later today."

Silver smiles at my technicality. "I should be leaving as well. I'll see you later."

"G'bye," I mutter before I kiss him gently and rise from the ground. I help him stand, then head home, happier than I've ever been. It's almost as though Momma's alive again and Father's a happy, free spirit to top off my new relationship. A never-faltering smile decorates my face as I walk home.

When I get there, I find Mephiles half-asleep, thankfully free of new injuries. I raise our window and jump through as quietly as possible. My smile is still in existence as I close and lock the window, as I strip myself of the terribly warm clothes, as I lay down on my bed.

"I take it from your abnormally persistent smile that things went well," Mephiles states groggily.

"Even half-asleep, your vocabulary is extremely colorful," I point out. "Yes, things went about as well as they could possibly have gone."

"You're no longer single, then." It's no question.

"That is correct."

"Good for you," Mephiles says, and I hear him roll over in his bed. I shortly hear the light snore that is my brother's peaceful sleep, and my smile doesn't falter until I join him in the land of dreams.

**The land of dreams... I should really be there now... *yawns***

**Shadow: Then go.**

**I don't want to. Sleeping's for people with nothing better to do. *yawns***

**Silver: Says the man yawning his face off. Go to bed.**

**Not until I have nothing to do! *passes out***

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	4. A Nightly Visitor

**It sure as fuck has been a while, hmm?**

**Shadow: Yes, it has.**

**Silver: Where have you been?**

**Lazy. That's all I know to say.**

**Silver: Well, that explains things.**

**Yeah, yeah, I know, quit giving me such a hard time... I'm gonna make things up to you.**

**Shadow: How?**

**By giving you as many updates as I can squeeze out this week. I'm out of school, so I have a good amount of free time. So, as I listen to Gaga and drink Coca-Cola, I shall begin frantically writing while trying to still make all of this relevant, descriptive, and at least good. Get ready, because we shall now continue!**

_"Shadow, sweetheart," she says, "It's been so long..."_

_"M-... momma...?" I ask, hopeful._

_"Yes, sweetie, it's momma...!"_

_I have to give her a hug. What kind of a son would I be if I didn't give my deceased mother a hug?_

_... Don't answer that._

_"Oh, momma, I can't believe you're here! Father will be so happy! Maybe he'll be 'Daddy' again...!"_

_I hear her sigh, and I look up to see her pretty face in pain. "I wish that could be true..."_

_"What... what do you mean, momma...?"_

_"Shadow, honey... this is only a dream..."_

_"... That can't be true, though, I... I can hug you, and I can see you...," I sniff the air, "and I can smell that perfume you always wear...!"_

_"Hallucinations... A part of the dream... I'm sorry, honey..."_

_I frown and almost begin to cry._

_"No, no, dry those eyes, dear, please...! I'm here to tell you something!"_

_"What were you trying to tell me...?" I say, sniffling and wiping my nose on the back of my sleeve. I can tell that I look like a child again to her._

_"I'm here to tell you that a brighter day is on its way! It is so very close, I'm sure you could taste it if you tried!"_

_I smile a bit through my child's tears. "Really? I... could taste it?"_

_"Yes, sweetheart! The happiness you've awaited so long is so very near... But... there is bad news that must come with that..."_

_My smile disappears even more quickly than it came. "What would that be, momma...?"_

_"Unfortunately, to get there... you'll have to survive the worst day you've ever had..."_

_I almost cry again. "If it gets me to better days, it's worth it."_

_She smiles at me. "But... your brother... he..."_

_"He what...?"_

_"He will...-"_

"Shads!"

I awake with a start, my eyes wide and staring into those of Mephiles. I quickly pull him into a hug, already knowing what my mother was going to tell me. I can hear the words in her voice in my head, so real that it frightens me.

_He will... die..._

"Mephiles... promise me... please..."

"Promise you what...?" he asks, returning my hug and concern in his voice.

I let go of him and stare straight into his eyes. "Promise me... you will fight to the bitter end..."

He looks the slightest bit confused, but nonetheless he nods. "I promise you that I will fight with all my strength until the bitter end."

I nod and give him a quick hug before I get out of bed and prepare for the day as if that scene hadn't occurred. He looks even more confused at that, but doesn't question me.

I prepare for the worst, because my brighter day could be tomorrow.

(*!/0\!*)

And that one could easily be the truth.

If my day at school was any indicator of how bad things would be at home... I'd be surprised if I didn't join my brother in the land of spirits...

The worst of the school day was at break... when Silver almost figured it all out.

I won't lie, we were intensely making out. And I was enjoying that. But, before I could stop him... he had his hands up my shirt. And he could feel my every lash, my every cut, my every swollen bruise, my every burn...

He lifted my shirt up in horror, seeing all of it. I was almost as mortified as he was.

"Uh... Shadow, honey... what is all this...?" he asked, his voice almost cracking with worry and rage towards whoever had done that... or maybe at me for not telling him...? I still don't know.

"I... uh..." I had to think extremely fast. And "BMX" was my brilliant response.

"Excuse me?" he didn't believe that for one second. I had to make him.

"BMX! You know, the extreme bike riding? I do it all the time!" I was lying so horribly that I _still _want to vomit on myself.

"And I've never heard this because...?"

"I thought you might worry about my safety. But I love to do it, you know? And I didn't want you to try and stop me... Sorry."

"What about the burns? Last I checked, there are no flames in BMX."

I forced a laugh. "Oh, those! I cook sometimes, and... well, you know that saying about bacon and having your shirt off, right?"

"Yes...?"

"Yeah... don't do it." I giggled a bit. I surveyed his eyes. They were doubtful, and concerned.

"Okay... but... look, next time, tell me if there's something I should know. I promise I won't stop you from doing something you love. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay. I promise I'll do that." I could still see the doubt in his eyes. But for right then, I was in the clear. And that was enough for me.

However... Maybe I should't've settled for that. Because now I can't get those doubting, worried eyes to stop staring me down.

"Hey, Shads, you alright?" asks Mephs, breaking me free from the painful flashback. "You're more silent than usual."

I give him an empty smile. "I'm fine, just... worse day than usual." _Way worse._

"Oh, you too?" he half-frowns. "Well, I guess that's another thing we could add to the list of things we share as twins."

I smile a bit at his dark humor. "I guess so."

And we walk the rest of the way home in silence. Thankfully, Father is not yet home, and we are allowed to go straight to our room. We take advantage of our good fortune while it lasts.

But then... Father comes home.

Although we are on the other side of the house, he hear him close the door as though he's two feet away. Mephs and I exchange mortified looks as we freeze and listen to everything he does. I hear glass breaking. I hear his shouts of anger and profanity. But, worst of anything, I hear him drifting closer to us.

I prepare for the worst when I hear him stop his angry outbursts. In fact I can't hear anything anymore other than the hammering of my heart against my chest.

_BAM!_

The door is knocked off its hinges by my father's foot. It almost hits me, but I get out of the way just in time.

Those eyes... I've never seen a man with such fury in his eyes. I've never even _imagined_ such horrifying rage. I couldn't have if I'd tried. But this man... this man has become my nightmare. Father will haunt my dreams past my death.

I don't even notice the knife in his hand until it's already been drawn to my throat. I gasp, but do not try to resist. Because I know , by the fury in those eyes, that he _will _kill me.

I see Mephiles try to sneak up on him, but I discreetly hold a hand up in warning. Despite the fact that I love and believe my mother with every fiber of my being, I will do all I can to defy her prediction of my brother's death. Because he is my world. Silver is a close second, but... I could never live without Mephiles. Silver I've already lived without. Mephiles I've never imagined living without. And so, I must save him. I must.

"So, Shadow, guess what's made daddy so upset...?" an insane voice that sure as fuck does _not_ belong to "Daddy" asks me.

"I... I do not know, Father, but I am sure it is as devastating to Mephiles and I as it is to you...!" I reply, terror being masked by mock-concern. It's a convincing show, if I say so myself.

"Is it, now?"

"Yes, Father, yes! I am already devastated that something of this nature has happened to my Father!"

"Well, poor you. Daddy's lost his job. Now he can't provide food to his poor little devastated children!"

_"Not like you provided for us in the first place."_

I _almost _say it. I come _this close_. But I don't. Instead, Mephiles walks over to him and says with the same acting level as I, "That's so terrible, Father! Why ever would they do such a thing?"

Father whirls around and takes the knife away from my neck, not without leaving a small cut there. "Oh, they say that they were losing business! That they couldn't pay my salary anymore! But I _knew_," he said in a way that made me wonder even more than usual why he wasn't in an insane asylum. "I _knew _they were lying. They just wanted me gone! They got tired of me! Can you believe that, Mephiles? Can you _believe such a thing?_"

"No, Father, I've never heard of such blasphemy!"

"And now, oh, how it _pains_ me to do this, but I _must_...! I must!"

"Y-you must what...?" I ask, my terror no longer being masked. I had my suspicions about what he "must" do...

"I must kill one of you so that I can have the money to support the family!"

Suspicions confirmed.

Before I can react, I'm thrown against the wall. I try to get back up, but father throws my bed at me. Splinters, springs, and plush fly about when it makes contact with my unprotected body. I'm trapped behind the damned thing; how the _fuck_ could he have thrown this? But the worst part is that I can see the entire thing.

He doesn't go after me like I expect. He goes after my brother. The bastard has him _cornered_. I can't see any way out of this.

"Father, please, no!" I manage to say. I can hardly speak. "Please, leave my brother! Kill me!"

"Shut up, boy!" he shouts. "It _has _to be the firstborn!"

I am forced to watch as he cuts into my brother's arms. I will _never _get those screams out of my head. "Father, stop it!"

As a reward for my outburst, Father stabs Mephiles in the leg. At that, I burst into tears. I haven't ever cried as hard as I am right now.

This is one hell of a day.

"I fucking _hate_ you, Father!" I spit his "name" out. "I hate you so damn much! I hope that you die and go to hell!" That was something I would never say to anyone, due to my Anti-Christian nature, but right now I'm spitting out everything that I can to get him away from Mephiles.

He throws his knife at me and it makes a nice, long cut across the side of my head... including my temple. Which worries me.

Then, before he can get to his knife again, he steps on my dagger.

"Oh-ho-ho, so someone's had a weapon in here without my permission? Who would _that_ be?"

"ME!" both Mephiles and I scream out. "No, me!" Damn it, again. "Will you shut up? ME!"

"Look, I don't care anymore. Because, by this point, I'm going to kill _both _of you."

And that's when I black out from blood loss. Or is it fear? Worry? I don't even know. I black out, okay?

**Ooooohhh, cliffhangers! Hate me, don't you? Hah. Well, as I told you before, I will be updating _frequently_ this week. So, I have a feeling that your next update will be here in approximately twenty-four hours. It'll answer nearly all the questions left behind by this chapter. Oh, and I apologize for the absence of my hedgehog companions, but they're off doing... y'know, _things_. NO, you perverts, not THOSE things. I mean story-related things. Get your mind out of the... never mind, I've no room to talk.**

**REVIEW**


	5. Get Me Outta Here

**Hey again! Woot woot, I'm back! Oh, and before I begin the opening shit-comedy, I should tell you that Shadz and Silv are out again. But, _this_ time, I brought some backups!**

**Tails: *pops up out of nowhere* Whoa, how'd I get here?**

**Sonic: *pops up out of nowhere* Whaa...?**

**NOW, YOU TWO, MAKE LOVVVVE!**

**Sonic: Uhh, okay, I don't roll that way, man. And plus, i don't even know you.**

**Oh, please, You've been in a story with me before, Sonikku.**

**Sonic: ... *blushing furiously* Oh, shit, it's _you_...**

**Tails: Ohhh! I remember him too! You left me kidnapped...**

**Miles, I'm working on that one, I promise.**

**Tails: Yeah, you'd better be...**

**Oh, and Sonic, you _do _roll that way. Liar.**

**Tails: *giggles***

**Sonic: *blushing deeper* Shut up...! I'm gonna have to kill you now...**

**Okay, that'd be enough from our special guests. On with the story!**

_I cry. And I cry. And I cry. And she just holds me. I'm really just wanting her to start conversation. Maybe get my mind off of the death of my brother. But no, she just holds me and lets me cry. Like she did when I was a child. So I guess, in a way, that's its own comfort._

_It takes me an eternity to stop crying enough to speak. But I finally do. "Momma... momma, why...?"_

_Even though my words are garbled past recognition by anyone else, she understands me. "Why what, sweetie...?"_

_"Why... does he have to die...? Why...? Couldn't he live...? Please?"_

_"Shadow, honey, it was just his time..."_

_"Couldn't that wait, though...? Please!"_

_"Shadow, I never imagined that you would be so desperate for him to live..."_

_"Why wouldn't I be, momma? He's my brother...!"_

_"What? Oh, you were talking about Mephiles...? Honey, he's not going to die!"_

_I sniffle and look into her eyes. "But... but you said-"_

_"No, no, honey, I was going to say that he would suffer... And now that he has, your brighter days will be here. And soon."_

_I smile at her. "So... who were _you_ talking about...?"_

_"Your father. He'll have to die."_

_"Oh... why on _earth_ would you think I was crying over him...? I despise that man with every fiber of my being."_

_"Now, Shadow, he _is _your father..."_

_"No matter how much I wish he weren't."_

_"Look at it this way, sweetheart: If he weren't your father, where would be? You might not have ever been born. And then your friends, these brighter days, where would they be? Where would _Silver_ be?"_

_My face gets red-hot. "Uh... you... know about that...?"_

_She giggles. "I do. And I think it's wonderful."_

_I sigh. "Well, on the bright side, I don't have to go through the stress of telling you..."_

_She giggles again. "True. Now, there's business for you to take care of, honey. So I want you to wake up. Just wake up."_

"Shadow! Wake up, please!"

I'm halfway afraid to open my eyes. I twitch my lips and fingers to let whoever that is know that I'm at _least_ alive.

"Shadow, honey, please... wake up for me...!"

Or at least, I tried.

I recognize that voice now. I _must _open my eyes now. So why won't they open? I try to force them open. They won't budge. So I try a different approach: speaking. Failed attempt number two.

I feel Silver crying into my chest now. I want to rest my arm on his shoulders, but I can't move a damn muscle. What the hell is the matter...?

I finally manage to make a sound with my vocal cords. I can't open my mouth, but my little "Mm" seems to make him calm down.

"Shadow...? Are you alive?" he says through his tears.

"Mmhmm..." I say. And now my throat hurts.

He wraps his arms around me tightly. And I scream, jerk off whatever I'm laying on, and finally open my eyes and mouth.

He lets go, terrified. I'm gasping for breath and looking around the room. Judging by the fact that there was no taste to the paintjob, nothing but white, I'm in a hospital room. No _wonder_ I'm more comfortable in this bed than I have been in three years.

"Shadow, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry, please, please forgive me!"

I manage to laugh at him. "Quit your incessant babbling, honey, I'm fine." I smile. "That mostly just surprised me." I'm surprised I'm lying so well.

He visibly calms down. "Okay... That scared me..."

"It's alright, honey." I widen my smile.

"My, you're in one hell of a good mood for someone who just almost died..."

My smile threatens to leave. "How'd you know about that...?"

He blushes. "I'll admit, I'm a stalker... I followed you home yesterday. And..."

My smile disappears and my eyes widen. "You... you saw everything...?"

He smiles apologetically. "Unfortunately..."

"Okay, give me the whole story, please."

"Uh... okay... Well, As I said, I followed you home... Sorry about that, by the way. I was just being overprotective, you know? And-"

"Okay, okay, you're forgiven. Continue."

"Right. Well, I saw you and Mephiles just hanging out... Which almost cured my suspicions, but then... your dad came home... And you two looked like you'd just seen ghosts. So I knew I had found where all..." -he gestures to my many scars- "_those_ came from. I was about to get you out of there, but... he came in then, and... I can't say it any other way than I was frozen in terror. His eyes..." He shudders just as I do. "You know. They were horrifying. And then... he had the knife to your neck... and..." Silver almost starts crying. "I knew I had to do _something_... So I called 911. And I thought I was too late, because I thought you died, and..."

That's when he _really _starts crying again. I reach out my arms to show that I want him to hug me, and he eagerly does. I wince in pain when he does, but I don't really care. As he cries into my shoulder, I can't help but think of my brother and how he would always comfort me when I cried...

_When we get out of here, I'll have to thank him._

This is an awkward feeling. It's like feeling guilty for feeling like you matter. Because I feel like he's depending on me, but I feel bad that he's crying. And Mephs has done this for me countless times in the past three years. I've never once done it for anyone. Damn, that makes me seem selfish.

Silver finally calms down after a long time of crying. By that point, I'm wet enough to say I just got out of swimming practice, but I really don't mind. I pat his back comfortingly as he backs off, much to the relief of my injuries.

'Heh... Sorry, Shadz..." he says, his voice still hinting at his crying. He clears his throat to remedy that. "I just... y'know, hated seeing you that way..."

I smile. "I understand. It's okay." Then I'm struck by something. "Hey, where's Mephiles?"

"Oh... Intensive Care. He got even more banged up than you did... if that's even possible..." Silver looks guilty.

"Silver, you know that it's not your fault..."

"I feel like it is, though... I could've called the emergency line a lot sooner..."

"Silver, there was no danger you could see until you called them. This is no fault of yours."

Silver sighs and resigns himself to defeat. Because if there's one thing he knows about me, it's that I _won't _give an argument like that up.

"So, is there any way I could go and see Mephs?" I ask, starting to raise myself out of the bed.

"Whoa, hon, lay back down," Silver says, gently pushing me back onto the bed. "If there's one thing that nurse told me, it's that you're not leaving this bed until tomorrow. You've got too many broken bones."

"Oh. No wonder everything hurts."

Silver frowns.

"Not _that_ badly. I've been through worse..." Which makes me feel the side of my head for my scar. It's covered by thick gauze. But just that little touch to the gauze makes me want to scream again.

"No kidding," Silver says, looking like he'll cry again.

Before I can comfort him, some lady in a white hospital uniform walks in. "Excuse me, sir," she says, "But I think you'd rather leave. It's time for Shadow's pain medication, and I don't think he'll be much company once they're in his system."

"Oh. Of course, ma'am," Silver says, getting up to leave.

"Wait a sec," I say, grabbing at his arm.

"Wha?"

I pull him closer and give him a kiss. "Thanks, Silver," I whisper.

He smiles. "Any time." He gives me a second kiss before he turns and leaves the room.

I look over to the nurse to see her smirking. I blush. "What...?" I ask her.

"That was adorable, that's what," She says, walking over and working with the machinery that I only just now noticed was hooked up to me. "He's a real cutie. Sweet, too. I talked to him for a while. You're real lucky, Shadow."

I smile. "Thanks, nurse... Cosmo," I say after a quick glance at her nametag.

"No problem. And don't worry. You'll be out of here in no time."

By this point, I can feel my pain decreasing and my eyelids drooping. "I hope so... Oh, and what about my brother? Mephiles?"

"Oh, him. He's really messed up, but he'll be alright. That boy of yours called us at the perfect time to get you two away from that maniac... I'm really sorry for you, by the way. I used to think _my _dad was mean...," she adds as an afterthought.

I smile at that one. "Well, at least it's over now." I lay my head back against the pillow and start to close my eyes.

"Goodnight, Shadow," she says. "And good luck to you and your brother."

"Why do you say that...?" I ask, barely able to look at her.

"I'm probably not going to see you again. I'll be on your brother from now on."

"Oh. Mmkay... Thanks, Nurse Cosmo..." I drift to sleep at that.

(*!/0\!*)

"Hey, Shadz, wake up! Time to get you outta here!"

I open my eyes slowly and look into the eyes of my lover. I smile at him. "Hey," I say. "I'm leaving?"

"Yep. Comin' home today."

"Wait... where am I going to live...?" I frown. "I never made any arrangements or anything..."

"Oh, don't worry. We've got that under control. Mum's gonna let you live with us."

I almost faint. "I... I'm going to live with you...?"

He smiles. "Yeah."

I try to hug him... then I realize my left arm's in a cast. I look down at my body. I have a cast on my right leg, some kind of brace-thing around my ribcage, and countless bandages. Including... _Yep_, I think, wincing, _I've got a bandage on that scar._

"Psst," he whispers, "Try not to be too lovey-dovey... Sorry, but mum and dad don't know..." He smiles apologetically.

"Oh," I whisper back. "It's alright." I smile a bit, trying to hide my disappointment. But, now that I think about it, I really shouldn't have expected much different.

"Silver, honey, is he ready to go?" Silver's mother asks.

"Are you?" he asks me.

"Yes, get me outta here," I whisper.

He nods to his parents. "We can go."

"Alright, then, I'll go get the car started," Silver's dad says, heading out.

"Mum, help me get him out of the bed?" Silver asks.

"Of course."

"Wait, I think I can- Ow. Okay, never mind...," I say.

Silver smiles apologetically again, then he and his mother get me out of the bed. I can thankfully walk without support.

Silver's mom leads us to the checkout counter. Just as we're about to leave, I stop them.

"What's the matter, Shadow?" his mother asks.

"Uh... could we make a quick visit before we go? I promise I won't take long."

"Sure, as long as you're out in a few minutes. My husband's so impatient," she mutters. I kinda wanna laugh, but also want to slap her and say, "AT LEAST HE DOESN'T ABUSE HIS CHILD!" But I just settle on nodding.

"I'll go with him," Silver says. "I'll make sure he stays in dad's time range."

"Okay," she says. "Don't cause trouble, honey," she adds before going to find her husband.

Silver rolls his eyes and walks up to the counter. "Could we make a quick visit to Mephiles in Intensive Care?"

The counter woman gets a nurse to lead us there.

And what I see really makes me wonder if Momma just changed her mind to spare my feelings.

**ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! _Damn, _I'm terrible. Anyways, I'm just gonna go now, 'cause I have some shit to do tomorrow and need sleep. Love yunz, and nightnight!**

**REVIEW**


	6. A Note

Okay, sexies, I've got an announcement.

Scared? You shouldn't be, this isn't what my other random notes have been.

I'm not taking this down.

Well, okay, I _am_, but it will be back.

I'll be rewriting and reposting this story soon enough.

I went too far too fast with this one. It went to shit in my opinion because of that. It will soon be remade and it will be better.

Much better, I assure you.

And I WILL finish it as soon as I can. I promise you guys I won't cancel it like I've done to you guys three times before...

I had a good idea here. I just didn't execute it properly.

So expect the rewrite to begin sometime soon.

Once I have a few chapters of it posted, this will be taken down.

Thank you all, I love you very much! Goodbye for now, my friends!

~The Kitty, mrowr


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